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PARTISANSHIP STALLS CONGRESS’ CLOSE – Jonathan Weisman reports for the New York Times: “Congress’s expected departure for the campaign trail was held up on Thursday by the political fortunes of two senators battling for survival, Scott P. Brown, Republican of Massachusetts, and Jon Tester, Democrat of Montana. The Capitol Hill exits were barred by four pieces of legislation entangled in a nasty Senate fight: a stopgap spending bill to keep the government financed through March; a measure by Senator Rand Paul, Republican of Kentucky, to cut off aid to Pakistan, Egypt and Libya; a companion bill to further isolate Iran; and finally a Tester hunting bill that Democrats hope will further his re-election bid.

-- “All of those bills could conceivably have come up for a vote on Thursday evening, but for Mr. Brown’s scheduled debate in Boston with his Democratic Senate opponent, Elizabeth Warren, a Harvard Law School professor. Mr. Brown had suggested to The Boston Globe that he might have to miss the debate to stay in Washington to vote. The debate was coming at a potentially crucial time in the race since recent polls had shown Ms. Warren overtaking Mr. Brown. … The possibility of Mr. Brown using Senate business as a rationale for missing the debate sent Senator Harry Reid, the majority leader, to the floor to call off any deal on a final series of votes, at least for the night. … Mr. Brown quickly decamped for the airport.” http://nyti.ms/PuBYaS

BROWN RIPS WARREN OVER CHEROKEE CLAIM – POLITICO’s David Catanese reports from the Boston debate: “Republican Sen. Scott Brown wasted no time lacing into Elizabeth Warren over her controversial claim of Native American heritage Thursday night, attempting to reignite broader questions about her character during the first debate of their fiercely contested Senate campaign. Brown took the first question of the hourlong face-off to yank the scab off a controversy that wounded Warren’s campaign in the spring, when it was revealed she identified herself as a minority while serving as a university professor. ‘Professor Warren claimed that she was a Native American, a person of color, and as you can see, she’s not,’ said Brown, who repeatedly called on Warren to release her personnel records to put to rest whether the claim helped her gain employment at Harvard University or the University of Pennsylvania. …

-- “Warren denied ever using her Cherokee status to get into college or law school and invoked her family in defense. … ‘I didn’t get an advantage because of my background. But this is about family. I can’t and won’t change who I am. I am who I am.’ … Polling taken months ago amid the flare-up showed the issue mattered little to voters so Democrats viewed Brown’s attack as a sign he has fallen behind in the horse race. The exchange at the outset set the tone for a testy debate — Brown consistently addressed Warren as ‘professor’ and Warren attempted to dent the incumbent’s image as an independent who bucks the party line.” http://politi.co/Ux4ATI

KAINE OPEN TO MINIMUM INCOME TAX FOR EVERYONE – Scott Wong reports from the debate in McLean, Va.: “Republican Virginia Senate candidate George Allen pounced on Tim Kaine’s remarks during a debate Thursday that the Democrat is open to having every American pay some federal income taxes. ‘I would be open to a proposal that would have some minimum tax level for everyone,’ Kaine told moderator David Gregory, host of NBC’s ‘Meet the Press,’ in response to a question. ‘But I do insist, many of the 47 percent that Gov. Romney was going after pay a higher percentage of their income in taxes than he does.’ … Kaine’s tax comments came at the start of an hourlong televised debate in McLean, Va., after the former governor was asked about Mitt Romney’s controversial quip that the 47 percent of Americans who don’t pay federal taxes are dependent on government and see themselves as ‘victims.’

-- “Allen, who like Kaine is a former Virginia governor, didn’t seize on the tax line during the debate. But he quickly caught on when reporters asked him about the perceived gaffe, saying families hit hard by the dismal economy can’t afford to fork over more money to Uncle Sam. ‘It’s typical of Tim Kaine. His record is always one looking to raise taxes,’ Allen said, noting that most Americans already pay payroll and sales taxes. ‘When he was governor, he tried to raise taxes on people earning as little as $17,000 a year. He wanted to raise taxes on buying used cars.’ …

-- “Kaine’s remarks overshadowed the other revelation of the debate: Allen reluctantly distancing himself from Romney’s ‘47 percent’ comment, which has roiled the presidential contest and which Kaine dismissed as ‘condescending and divisive.’ Asked several times whether he disagreed with Romney, Allen finally conceded: ‘I have my own point of view.’” http://politi.co/Ux9MHf

REPUBLICANS UNLOAD ON OBAMA – Seung Min Kim reports for the hometown paper: “Congressional Republicans broke out in full anti-Obama mode Thursday, attacking the president from all corners of the Capitol before lawmakers flee the Beltway for campaign season. Democrats responded in kind, accusing House Republicans of ditching the nation’s problems to hit the trail. On the floor, more than 30 Senate Republicans took turns trashing President Barack Obama and the Democratic-led Senate in an extraordinary series of speeches. At the same time, a House panel was grilling a top Justice Department official over a botched gun-tracking operation. Later Thursday, House Republicans were poised to block the Obama’s administration’s rule waiving work requirements for welfare.” http://politi.co/UxaJz

ETHICS COMMITTEE TO END WATERS CASE TODAY – John Bresnahan reports for POLITICO: “The secretive [House] Ethics Committee will hold a rare public session on Friday, and will vote to end the [Maxine] Waters case — which began in 2009 with a probe by the Office of Congressional Ethics. It is unclear whether there will be any finding of ethics violations by Waters, but a final report by the Ethics Committee is expected to be released as early as tomorrow, according to sources close to the probe. Waters is next in line to become the ranking Democrat on the Financial Services Committee. If the Ethics Committee finds she engaged in improper or unethical behavior, it would almost certainly cost her a shot at that post. If Waters is cleared, which also is possible, she will become the top Democrat on the full Financial Services panel next year, taking over for the retiring Democrat Barney Frank.” http://politi.co/SblfM4

HEAD FAKE: FULL SCHILLING VIDEO SHOWS HE DIDN’T WALK OUT ON TOWN HALL – on Thursday, Huddle linked to a Progressive Illinois that said GOP Rep. Bobby Schilling ducked out of a recent town hall meeting after facing tough questions on a jobs outsourcing bill. The liberal news site posted an edited video apparently depicting Schilling doing just that. But Schilling’s campaign emailed Huddle a full video of his exchange with protesters, which shows him heading for the exits, then stopping to talk to other constituents in the back of the room. After the protesters leave (someone threatens to call authorities), Schilling is then seen returning to the front of the room and resuming his town hall. Watch the Schilling campaign’s video here:http://bit.ly/SHTYNm

--Schilling campaign spokesman Jon Schweppe emailed: “Schilling didn't walk out of the meeting, the protestors did. Schilling has also offered to meet with the protestors multiple times, and has been repeatedly rejected.”

GIVE CIVILITY A CHANCE – Reps. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.) are launching the Congressional Civility Caucus’ Facebook page today, which happens to be the last day of House session before the November election. The caucus, co-chaired by Capito and Cleaver, will be using the Twitter hashtag #CapitolCivility and hopes to promote more civil dialogue in social media. Perhaps a sign of the times in today’s gridlocked Congress, there currently are only 14 members in the Civility Caucus. By contrast, there are over 200 lawmakers in the Wine Caucus.

THE ROGERS REPORT: FAIR OR FOWL?– David Rogers has more on the Tester bill: “Having resolved one problem, the Senate created another for itself Thursday: a very unsportsmanlike fight over a package of bills dubbed the Sportsmen’s Act of 2012. … The sportsmen measure — really some 20 bills in one — is a top priority for Democratic Sen. Jon Tester, who is both the hunter and hunted in this case since his Montana seat is one coveted by Republicans in November’s elections. Thus the GOP quickly objected Wednesday when Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) sought to call up and pass the bill for Tester — in time for the opening of Montana’s hunting season this weekend. On Thursday, Reid countered by insisting that the Senate at least give Tester a vote on a related procedural motion before going home.” http://politi.co/RHZgsa

-- The Senate could work through the weekend if the parties can’t reach a deal on the CR and other measures, writes Roll Call’s Niels Lesniewski: “Though Democrats said they were close to a deal to vote on dueling foreign policy measures offered by Republicans, Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) moved to delay any votes until Friday at the earliest.. … Despite the hope for a deal that would allow Members to wrap up by Friday, Reid has told Senators to be prepared to work through Sunday.” http://bit.ly/Ulc0uz

THE WAIT IS OVER: NATS CLINCH PLAYOFF BERTH – Adam Kilgore writes for the Washington Post: “The final out burrowed into catcher Kurt Suzuki’s mitt and closed a chapter in Washington’s baseball history. The strike-three slider Drew Storen threw past Hanley Ramirez on Thursday night ended the woebegone era, when this city was forced to either watch a hapless team or dream of having one. The scoreboard at Nationals Park flashed ‘NATS CLINCH’ in huge, white block letters. The 30,359 fans exalted. Red and white fireworks exploded into the starless sky, and smoke hovered over the field as the players pulled on red shirts and gray hats emblazoned with words once foreign to the nation’s capital: ‘Playoffs’ and ‘postseason.’” http://wapo.st/PP1o1c

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GOOD FRIDAY MORNING, SEPTEMBER 21, 2012, and welcome to The Huddle, your play-by-play preview of the day’s congressional news. Send tips, suggestions, comments, complaints and corrections to swong@politico.com. If you don't already, please follow me on Twitter @scottwongDC.

My new followers include but are not limited to @SarahPeckVA and @michaeletoner.

TODAY IN CONGRESS – The House is in at 9 a.m. with first and last votes expected between 10:15 a.m. and noon on the Stop the War on Coal Act.

The Senate is in at noon. Unless a deal between the two sides is reached, the chamber will vote to invoke cloture on the continuing resolution to fund the government at 1 a.m. Saturday.

AROUND THE HILL – Reps. Fred Upton, Doc Hastings, John Mica and other GOP leaders urge passage of the Stop the War on Coal Act at 9 a.m. at the House Triangle. At 9:30 a.m., DCCC Chairman Steve Israel will speak about “Red-to-Blue” candidates at the Democratic National Committee building.

Rep. Walter Jones and retired military officials speak about a resolution regarding Congress' power to declare war at 10 a.m. in Rayburn B-318. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and other Democratic leaders call for the House to remain in session at 10:30 a.m. on the East Steps. Speaker John Boehner holds an on-camera briefing at 11:15 a.m. in HVC Studio A.

GOP FUMES AFTER CLINTON’S LIBYA BRIEFING – Julian Pecquet reports foe The Hill: “Republican lawmakers left a closed-door briefing with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and other officials on Thursday still unconvinced by the administration's assessment that last week's attack that killed four Americans in Libya wasn't a premeditated act of terrorism. ‘They're trying to cover their behinds,’ Rep. Bill Flores (R-Texas) told The Hill upon leaving the House briefing with Clinton, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and Deputy Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter. Asked if they were successful, he said: ‘No.’ On the Senate side, things were no different according to Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) ‘That is the most useless worthless briefing I have attended in a long time,’ shortly after the administration officials made their case to the upper chamber.” http://bit.ly/PutMav

DeMINT MAY THROW AKIN LIFELINE – “Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) says he will consider throwing his weighty financial support behind Rep. Todd Akin (R), the Missouri Senate candidate who has been shunned by party leaders in Washington,” reports The Hill’s Alex Bolton. “DeMint said the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), which has pulled its funding from the Missouri race, should reconsider its decision if Akin continues his candidacy. The senator said backing Akin in Missouri, a red state, might be a better bet for winning a GOP seat that pouring money into blue states such as Maine and Hawaii that are likely to go for President Obama in November.” http://bit.ly/UmDLPf

HOUSE VOTES TO BLOCK OBAMA’S WELFARE CHANGES – Pete Kasperowicz writes for The Hill: “The House voted Thursday to block the Obama administration's decision to let states waive the current work requirement for welfare recipients. Members approved the Republican resolution of disapproval in a 250-164 vote, after a bitter debate in which Republicans charged President Obama with trying to change the law without consulting Congress, and Democrats said Republicans were raising the issue to help GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney after his widely criticized remarks about people on welfare. Nineteen Democrats voted for the resolution. While the measure passed the House, the Obama administration's change to the implementation of the welfare law will remain in effect until the Senate approves the resolution, which is not expected to happen.” http://bit.ly/OLRbSe

THURSDAY’S TRIVIA WINNER – Past winner Jonathan Orr was first to correctly answer that Thomas Jefferson was the first president to shake hands with guests. Prior to Jefferson, guests bowed to the president.

TODAY’S TRIVIA – In honor of our playoffs-bound Nationals, we’ll turn to a baseball question today: When was the last time a Washington baseball team played in the post-season and name a player on that team. First to correctly answer gets a mention in the next day’s Huddle. Email me at swong@politico.com.

GET HUDDLE emailed to your Blackberry, iPhone or other mobile device each morning. Just enter your email address where it says “Sign Up.” http://www.politico.com/huddle/

** Access the most influential and powerful professionals in the country with POLITICO Jobs - the most effective way to reach and connect the right employers to the right professionals. With a focus on positions in politics, policy, advocacy, government contracting and communications, this one-stop employment source is the best way to find qualified candidates. Whether in print or online, post your job opening today on POLITICO Jobs: http://jobs.politico.com